This invention relates generally to gutter covers, and more particularly to an improved system and method of making an expanded metal gutter cover having a solid edge margin.
FIGS. 1-3 illustrate a prior art system for making a solid-edge expanded metal gutter cover. In this system a coil 10 of sheet metal having a width W1 is used to make finished gutter covers 12 having a length L1 substantially equal to the coil width W1. The system includes expanding apparatus 14 which expands a continuous web 16 of sheet metal unwound from the coil 10. The apparatus 14 advances the web 16 a first distance D1 while expanding the metal to form an expanded metal section 18 having an open mesh of strands 20 (see FIG. 2) defining diamond-shaped openings 26 each of which has a long axis dimension LD extending widthwise of the web 16 and a short axis dimension SD extending lengthwise of the web. The apparatus 14 also advances the web a second distance D2 without expanding the metal, thereby creating a section 30 of solid metal extending across the web adjacent the expanded metal section 18. (The solid section 30 may be referred to as a solid edge margin of the web.) After the solid metal section is formed, the apparatus 14 cuts the web 16 along a cut line 34 extending across the web to create a gutter cover blank 36 that includes the expanded metal section 18 and the solid metal section 30. (The solid section 30 of the blank 36 may be referred to as a solid edge margin.) This cutting operation creates a wavy (e.g., uneven, undulating, irregular) side edge 40 along the blank which is removed later in the process, as will be described.
After the expansion step, each blank 36 is individually fed lengthwise (end first) to a flattening (leveling) apparatus 50 that flattens the blank and makes it substantially planar by removing any curves in the blank that may have been created by prior processing.
After the flattening operation, each flattened blank 36 is individually fed widthwise (long side first) into a shearing apparatus 60 having a shearing blade 62 longer than the length of the blank. The blade 62 operates to shear the blank 36 along a shear line 64 extending lengthwise of the blank and through the solid section of the blank to remove the wavy edge 40 and create a substantially flat straight edge 66 along a side of the blank 36 corresponding to the front side of a finished gutter cover.
After the shearing operation, each blank 36 is individually fed lengthwise (end first) into a roll forming apparatus 70 to give the blank a gutter cover configuration suitable for fitting a gutter. By way of example, the roll-forming apparatus may give the front side of the gutter the front formation 72 illustrated in FIG. 3 for engaging a horizontal flange extending rearward from the upper end of a front wall of a gutter.
The above prior art method is slow in part due to the shearing step performed by the shearing apparatus 60. The gutter cover blanks 36 must be hand fed into the apparatus 60, and the blank must be sheared and removed from the apparatus before the next blank can be loaded into the machine. This takes substantial time. Further, the operator's hands are relatively close to the shearing blade 62 of the apparatus 60 when the blanks are loaded and unloaded, which presents safety risks.
There is, therefore, a need for an improved method of making an expanded metal gutter cover having a solid edge margin.